Denise

Anyone have any suggestions for a first time visit to Pacific Northwest in July/August for Australian family (14 year old son) - specifically inexpensive hotels, what to see, suggestions for driving between Seattle & Vancouver, etc, etc? Any help will be gratefully accepted!! Thanks a lot!

Bob Brown

I think a tour of the Boeing factory in Seattle would be interesting for anyone from 6 years on up. Mount Ranier is an awesome sight that grows more incredible the closer you get to it. <BR>I am sure that others who live in the area will be able to suggest a variety of activities. <BR> <BR>The main road to Vancouver from Seattle is I 5 in the USA. In Seattle, it can be slow going in the morning and afternoons because of work/home traffic. <BR>Both are interesting cities. I think a good guide book for both would help you plan your activities. Unfortunately hotels in both cities tend to be expensive. <BR>The province of British Columbia has a good travel website: http://travel.bc.ca/ <BR>I think you might get some ideas by consulting it. It offers info on accommodations as well on attractive features. <BR>The Maritime Museum in Vancouver is interesting, and probably would be ok for a youngster. Whether or not the Sun Yat Sin Gardens would be interesting I don't know. There is also a big IMAX theater and a big aquarium. <BR>

Denise

Hey, Bob, thanks so much for all that information! All of those things you've mentioned would seem to be 'stuff' that our son would be interested in. What about a hotel though? Any thoughts on that?

Alba

Check out: http://www.travelforkids.com which has lots of great ideas about traveling with kids in British Columbia.

Kay

Hi Denise, we're from Melbourne and visited Vancouver and Seattle June/July this year. In Vancouver it rained every day which was disappointing but we still got out and did heaps. The library in Vancouver is worth a look as it's modelled on the Colosseum. There is a tourist trolley bus that goes to many tourist places in Vancouver. The Underground Tour in Seattle was great, there were lots of families doing it. You start down near Pioneer Square, it's a walking tour of about an hour, cost $8. It goes under the buildings/roads etc to the original Seattle city. Very humourous slant to the tour. The Boeing tour was good but a bit pricey for what you get. Go to Pike Place Market in Seattle and watch them chuck big salmon around. (Some of the area near there can be a bit rough, just be aware.) The Blue Horizon Hotel in Robson St, Vancouver was in a good position, right in the middle of shops and restaurants, in Seattle we stayed at the Pacific Plaza Hotel, neither were expensive. We caught the bus from Seattle to Vancouver and it wasn't a very exciting route, maybe a side trip from Vancouver to Vancouver Island via ferry and then ferry to Seattle would be more fun? Happy planning, Kay

dnorrie

Instead of Vancouver, go to Vacouver Island. Pretty expensive but so lovely. I would not even book a hotel at that time until you arrive in Seattle. The only problem may be conventions. Sometimes the hotels do fill up. There are beautiful hotels arond the harbour (stay away from the empress if you can - lovely but costly). Have fun.

Denise

Lots of responses since I last checked! Thanks Alba, Kay & Dnorrie for all that valuable information! Researching, researching!

Bill Hartford

Hi Denise <BR>Around Vancouver consider saving money by staying in the Fraser Valley rather than right downtown - prices are substantially less in Langley, Maple Ridge or the other suburbs and commuting is very easy. Traffic isn't bad and there's very reliable public transit (Skytrain particularly is frequent, clean and safe) and/or lots of parking downtown. Contact Tourism B.C. for a free book to see your choices(British Columbia Accommodations Guide 2000) available from 1-800-435-5622 or http://www.hellobc.com/index.jsp <BR>Ready for more research? &lt;rofl&gt; <BR>http://www.tourism-vancouver.org/ <BR>http://www.fraservalleyguide.com/ <BR>http://www.vancouver.hm/ <BR>http://www.findfamilyfun.com/ <BR>http://www.kidfriendly.org/Directory...o/seedovan.htm <BR>Go to http://www.mybc.com/ and click on <BR>"KIDS" under "Entertainment" <BR>gtg - I'll comment later on driving from Seattle to Vancouver <BR>Also, read some of the other memos I've posted on this (Fodors) site - or feel free to email me with specific questions. <BR>Bill <BR> <BR>

Bill Hartford

Driving to Vancouver. Unless your only need is to get from Seattle to Vancouver in the fastest time possible, don't even consider using I5. It's a MAJOR bore. Do you have time to dawdle on the way or are you on a tight schedule? What are your son's interests - does he want to ski, golf, hike, fish, beachcomb? The route you take to Vancouver is dependent on the answers to those questions. <BR>Bill

Denise

Bill, Thanks for all that information - those websites will be avidly read! The research isn't in full swing yet - thought we'd get Christmas out of the way first - but we thought perhaps we might drive up to Canada via Vancouver Island - is this possible? Your advice is much appreciated! As far as my son's interests are concerned, anything involving immersing himself in water is cool - and I realise that the waters around Seattle/Vancouver will be that! - but he does possess a wetsuit.

April

You'd have to drive up to Port Angeles and take the Coho ferry to Victoria or go from Anacortes to Sidney on the Washington State ferry.

sheri

If you do decide to do the Port Angeles/Victoria ferry route on the Coho, you definitely don't want to go *from* Port Angeles *to* Victoria in the summer months. Waits can be 4-8 hours (this ferry does not take reservations) and there is not a lot to occupy yourself with in Port Angeles for that amount of time. The wait might be as long in the opposite direction but at least you can go do things in downtown Victoria while you wait. <BR> <BR>The ferry from Anacortes to Sidney does take reservations but only goes twice a day, so you need to be aware of that. I'd recommend stopping off in the San Juans for a couple of days to take advantage of the hiking/kayaking/whale watching there, then continuing on to Victoria/Vancouver Island (if you decide to go there).

Bill Hartford

Hi Denise - okay, you're not pressed for time. That's great! I am unfamiliar with Fodor's limitations on the size of a post so I'll give 2 separate responses - one on getting around and one on activities. Unless you're here for a couple of months, you need to choose between touring Vancouver Island and staying on only the mainland (Vancouver and environs). I spend a couple of months a year on the Island and love it - particularly Tofino, Campbell River area and Comox Valley. However, considering the time of the year and your son's interests I'd choose the Mainland. <BR>Travelling between Seattle and Vancouver: consider taking Amtrak one way and driving the other. For more info - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/pubtran/amtrakcascades/ <BR>One of my favourite routes from Seattle to Vancouver is to drive up to Mukilteo, take the ferry to Clinton (see http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sche...ute/muk-cl.htm), follow hwy 525 to Oak Harbor, up hwy 20 to hwy 237 and then take Chuckanut Drive (Hwy 11) to Bellingham. Depending on where you've decided to stay (that is, Vancouver city or one of the suburbs) go north to the Fraser Valley via Meridien (Hwy 539) or to Vancouver via I5. To preview the route go to http://maps.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll and search for Mukilteo. <BR>Bill <BR>

Bill Hartford

Part 2 - So your son likes the water; that makes it easy! Within a couple of hours travel from Vancouver we have lots of water parks, kayaking (Class I to VI), beachcombing and white water rafting. Scuba diving? This isn't hyperbole - B.C. has some of the world's best diving places - particularly on the Sunshine Coast. However, you should probably rent drysuits here rather than use your wetsuits - the water is colder here than in Oz. Relative to the above, here are some more links for you to peruse: <BR>http://www.jus4funcanada.com/bc/main.html <BR>http://3routes.com/scuba/na/can/bc/index.html <BR>http://www.nwdivenews.com/index.htm <BR>http://www.discovervancouver.com/284/index_284.asp <BR>If you do go to the Sunshine Coast, this place might interest you: <BR>http://www.bayviewretreat.com/ <BR>My kids absolutely LOVED white water rafting on the Thompson River but that was in April when the freshets inject an additional element of danger! Check out <BR>http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure...ing/index.html <BR>For places to go in downtown Vancouver, I'd guess that your son will probably be most interested in going to the Train Museum on Granville Island, H.R. MacMillan and Science World. <BR>Have a good time! <BR>Bill

Denise

Bill and Sheri, thanks for all that information! Wow! I'll get onto this after Christmas, and everyone......have a peaceful time! I'll catch you soon!

Denise

And, April, thanks a lot to you too!

April

You're welcome. Just had another thought. If you didn't have to have a car the whole time, you could take the passengers only Victoria Clipper to Vancouver Island (if you still wanted to go there) or the float plane from Seattle. Both plop you in downtown Victoria.

traci

Pretty much any major chain hotel along the I5 is going to be around $50-$70 usd.

Barb

Denise -- I'll take a crack at making some hotel recommendations for you. My 14 year old daughter loves Vancouver and it's one of our favorite cities to visit. If price isn't much of an object, the Hyatt Regency hotel -downtown Vancouver is a great place to stay, because you park your car and never have to use it again until you leave Vancouver. You can walk everywhere from there, or catch the city buses. Very convenient and a very nice place to stay. Sometimes they have deals, so ask if you call for room rates, etc. 655 Burrard St. (687-6543 or 800-233-1234). <BR> <BR>Another suggestion would be the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver. It is an older hotel, probably built it the 20's but kept up. Very "british." Clean, quiet and located in the West End by Stanley Park and English Bay. A very nice place with marble bathrooms; it is clean and comfortable and quiet. 1154 Gilford St., (681-9321). <BR> <BR>Also, you could try the Coast Plaza (800) 663-1144. 1733 Comox Street. It is also located out in the West End near Stanley Park. I have stayed here and had a lovely living room, kitchenette, and separate bedroom/bath for a very reasonable price. The livingroom had a sofa bed as well. <BR> <BR>Vancouver is a very "walkable" city with lots to look at. Lots of fountains and small parks. And Robson Street is really fun to walk down with lots of small shops and boutiques. There is a tram up the side of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver with a restaurant at the top - great view. <BR> <BR>I hope you have fun on your trip. Let me know if I can be of further help to you. <BR> <BR>

Nancy

Went to the Pacific Northwest a few years ago in August with our kids (l2, 10 & 7yrs). Try and visit Mt. Rainier -hiking along the snowy trail in 70 degree weather was the highlight of the trip! The mtn is simply awesome. We went to Victoria and our kids loved it. Great restaurants, music in the streets - very lively. From there, we went to Sidney to see Butchart Gardens (kids were bored till the nighttime fireworks display) then drove along the coast up to Parksville where we had a kitchenette on the beach. The best thing about Parksville was the kids could swim in the ocean. At high tide, the sun and hot sand warm the water and they swam all afternoon. At low tide, they collected sand dollars which were everywhere. We also went to Little Qualicum Provincial Park and hiked, along with cliff jumping into the river pools - another highlight. Spent 17 days in Washington & BC and had only 1 day of rain. Also went to San Juan's for a few days and saw orcas swimming along the shoreline at a state park. We missed Vancouver so we plan to go back this summer and then try the Gulf Shore islands and sunshine coast. Take advantage of the outdoors - there's so much to see and do (inexpensively). We also found all of our accommodations from the BC travel site. Can't remember the website but easy to find through any search engine. They have a toll-free phone number and you can make all reservations through them. Word of warning - I made our hotel reservation for Victoria 11 months in advance and some hotels were already booked but August is busiest month. Have fun!